V. Rose Shares Her History, Talks New Christmas EP

“V. Rose is somebody who desperately wants to please God and who is just trying her best to live out her life doing that.”

A Sacramento, California native, V. Rose started singing at age six and from that young age, knew it was what she wanted to do with her life. “I grew up singing in the choir [at church], and I also grew up listening to Gospel music. I didn’t even know there were other genres.” At every opportunity, she would buy Gospel CDs and read the lyrics in the booklets that came with them.

“I learned how to write songs just by reading other people’s lyrics.”

At age fifteen, V. Rose got her first job and saved up money to spend on studio time and making CDs. “When you start investing in yourself, it can sort of grab the attention of people who can help you. I got the attention of some managers and record producers.”

Longtime Christian Hip-Hop listeners have likely been introduced to V. Rose’s music through FLAME. V. Rose met FLAME in 2010 at a concert at a skating rink in Sacramento. “I was performing at the very end [and] doing the altar call.”

After FLAME heard her sing and preach, “we talked about doing a song together.” FLAME featured her on two songs on his December 2010 album Captured, “Surrender” and “Captured Me.” Captured was the first album released under Clear Sight Music, FLAME’s then-new record label.

“It was like, ‘Hey, we’re starting this label, and we’d love to sign you as our first artist.'” After getting signed to Clear Sight Music, V. Rose said she “started doing things I had never done before but had always dreamed of.”

Currently V. Rose is an independent artist and this month she released an EP called It Ain’t Christmas Without You. In mid-November, she challenged herself to write and record a Christmas-themed project. “I wanted to write music that focused on why I celebrate Christmas.” V. Rose celebrates Christmas as the coming of Christ into the world.

“This is what Christmas is all about. If you take Jesus out of Christmas, it ain’t Christmas without you. That’s where the title came from.”

The EP’s intro, “For Us,” “is just saying it’s a merry Christmas for us because Jesus came into the world.”

V. Rose collaborated with longtime friend and fellow Sacramento native Mission on “It Is The Night.” “We have actually been working together since before anyone knew who Mission or V. Rose was.” They got to know each other in high school and made songs together that they shared at the youth group they were part of.

“It’s kind of cool to come back now that we’re both in our professional careers and work together.”

“It Is The Night,” along with several other songs on the EP, was inspired by a classic Christmas song, “O’ Holy Night,” that is in the public domain. V. Rose talks about how Christmas is “the night that Jesus was born. This is the night that God sent our savior into the world.”

The title track, “It Ain’t Christmas Without You,” features fellow former Clear Sight Music artist Young Noah. It is a twist on “12 Days of Christmas.” V. Rose describes the song as a letter to God, “saying all of the things that are special to me, like how Jesus died for us and how He saved us.”

The EP continues with “Not So Silent Night.” She found out that “Silent Night” is in the public domain and has been one of her favorite Christmas songs to sing over the years. Considering the message of the song, V. Rose thought about how “it would have been such a victorious thing to celebrate Jesus being born and to know that that was prophecy being fulfilled. I would’ve been turning up.”

The fifth and final song is a mix of another classic Christmas song, “Joy to the World.”

“The news of the Gospel is not just something for you to hold dear to your own heart but its something for you to share with others.”

She notes that Christmas is traditionally known as a joyful time. “All these gifts are great and all this time we spend with our family is great, but there’s a joy that comes from a deeper place, and that’s Jesus and His love. I just want people to share that.”

V. Rose and her family have developed many Christmas traditions over the years. She said that on “Christmas Eve we only eat snack food, so we eat chips and dip and salami and cheese.” They also open one gift on Christmas Eve, “but it’s always [pajamas.] Everyone gets PJs so that you can sleep comfortably on Christmas Eve.”

On Christmas Day, they eat a casserole of eggs, cheese, and potatoes for breakfast. “We like to go see plays and movies, bake, and do all that stuff.”

Her favorite Christmas gift she’s ever received is one she got early this year.

“It’s the guitar of my dreams [that] I’ve always wanted. It’s a Taylor GS Mini and its made with real koa wood, and it’s a design that no one else will have.”

In 2019, V. Rose fans can expect lots of new music. “I’m really going to try to put out music way more often now that I’m independent… I’m going to be doing some touring, of course.” She hopes that in the new year, listeners will hear, “a new, refined sound from me, especially now that I’m indie. I’ve sat back and really analyzed my artistry… It’s gonna be new and fresh.”

Outside of music, V. Rose loves to play basketball, draw, and sew. “I have so many hobbies.” She also enjoys cooking and said that her favorite meal to make is tacos. She is a big movie fan, especially of Star Wars films. “It’s a big deal in my family to watch Star Wars.”